Boudh

Boudh ବୌଦ୍ଧ Baudhgarh
town
Boudh Location in Odisha, India
Coordinates: 20°50′N 84°19′E / 20.84°N 84.32°E / 20.84; 84.32Coordinates: 20°50′N 84°19′E / 20.84°N 84.32°E / 20.84; 84.32
Country	India
State	Odisha
District	Boudh
Population (2001)
• Total	17,996
Languages
• Official	Oriya
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Website	boudh.nic.in

Boudh (also known as Baudhgarh) is a town and a notified area committee in Boudh district in the state of Odisha, India. It is the district headquarters of Boudh district. It is located on the bank of Mahanadi, the largest river of the state of Odisha.

History

Boudh was made the headquarters of the new district by the then Chief Minister Biju Pattanaik, during whose tenure the old Phulbani district was split in January 1994.The early history of Boudh is still in obscurity. However, the discovery of remarkable Buddhist statues from Boudh led some scholars to believe that Boudh was an important Buddhist centre of Odisha. From the epigraphic records it is known that in the middle of Eighth Century A.D., Boudh region was under the occupation of the Bhanja rulers and was a part of Khinjali Mandala. The earliest known ruler of this Bhanja family was Nettabhanja who was ruling over the Dhenkanal region as independent ruler, but his successor migrated towards Boudh-Sonepur region and established Khinjali Mandala and ruled there as the feudatory of the Bhauma Karas of Tosali. The Sonepur Copper Plate of Satrubhanja Dev, son of Silabhanja mentions the name Khinjali Mandala for the first time and on this basis it is believed that Silabhanja Dev was the founder of Bhanja Kula of Khinjali Mandala. Their capital was Dhirtipura, which has been identified with Boudh town. Satrubhanja Dev – II, a ruler of this family was defeated and killed by the Somavansi ruler of South Kosala, Janmeyjaya – I. The Bhanja’s were driven out from the Boudh region which was renamed as Odra Desa. Yayati – I, the son and successor of Janmejaya – I established his capital in Odradesa at Yayatinagara, which has been identified with modern Jagati in Boudh District. The Somavansi then occupied and migrated towards Utkala leaving their original home land South-Kosala in charge of viceroys. In course of time Kosala was lost to them and was occupied by the Telugu-Chodas and the Kalachuris. The imperial Gangas of Kalinga, after their occupation of Utkala, entered into a protracted struggle with the Kalachuris for one hundred years for the occupation of Kosala region. It is evident from the Chatesvar Inscription ( 1220 AD) that the struggle finally ended in favour of the Gangas during the region of Anangabhima Deva – III and thereafter Boudh along with Sonepur came under the Ganga Rule and was administered by the Ganga Administrators. In course of time, the Ganga Administrators became semi-independent and ruled over this territory hereditarily. So far tradition goes, there emerged a Brahmin ruling family in Boudh . Gandhamardan Dev, the last Brahmin ruler of this family, being childless adopted one Ananga Bhanja of Keonjhar Bhanja royal family. He succeeded Gandharmardhan Dev and laid the foundation of the rule of the Bhanjas in Boudh in the first half of fourteenth century AD. He changed his surname from Bhanja to Dev and was known as Ananga Dev. Since then, the new line of kings continued to rule over this region till the merger of Boudh State with the Odisha province in 1948. Their kingdom comprised modern Athmallik, Boudh and Sonepur regions with its capital headquarters at Swarnapura ( Sonepur). But later on due to the expansionist policy followed by the Chouhan rulers of Patna ( Patnagarh in Bolangir District ) they shifted their capital to Boudh.

Geography

Boudh is located at 20°50′N 84°19′E / 20.84°N 84.32°E / 20.84; 84.32.^[1]

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,^[2] Baudhgarh had a population of 17,996. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Baudhgarh has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 58% of the males and 42% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The population of the district is 373,000. Most of the population engage in agriculture, and are thus vulnerable to periods of drought and hunger; the region is among the poorest in Odisha.

Politics

Current MLA from Boudh Assembly Constituency is Pradip Kumar Amat, also Speaker in State Legislative Assembly Odisha. he who won the seat in State elections of 2009, 2004 and also in 2000 as an independent candidate. Previous MLAs from this seat include Sachidananda Dalal of JD who won this seat in 1995 and 1990, Sujit Kumar Padhi of INC in 1985, Himanshu Sekhar Pandhi of INC(I) in 1980, and Natabar Pradhan of JNP in 1977.^[3]

Boudh is part of Phulbani (Lok Sabha constituency).^[4]

Education

• JNV, Boudh
• Kendriya Vidyalaya Boudh
• J D High School, Boudh
• Govt. Girl's High School, Boudh
• Boudh Panchayat College, Boudh
• Women's College, Boudh
• Baunsuni govt high school, baunsuni, boudh
• Maa Maheswari college, baunsuni, boudh

Places of interest

Ramanath/ Rameshwara Shiva Temple

• Buddha Statue
• Ramanath Temples, Boudh
• Jogindra Villa Palace
• Hanuman Temple (In side Mahanadi River)
• Chandra Chuda & Matengeswar Temple
• Bhiarabi & Madan Mohan temple
• Bhairabi Temple, Purunakatak
• Charisambhu temple
• Patai Srikhetra Naikpada Cave-The Nayakpada Cave is located 12 km. from Boudh town, on the Boudh-Bhubaneswar road. This cave was said to have been associated with mythology. Once upon a time this cave was asram of sadhus. The forest here is in rich of different types of flora and fauna. According to a narration in Madala Panji and some historical evidences, during the reign of Emperor Sovan Dev the Jabana king Rakta bahu had attacked Shrikhetra Puri. With an apprehension of damage to deity Sri Jagannath the powerful Bhanja ruler of Oddradesha (present boudh area) who believed in Vaishnavism and worshipped Lord Nilamadhaba at Gandharadi, took away the deities to Dhritipura under their domain. As they believed Sri Jagannath (Purushottam) as Parama Vishnu and undergrounded (Patali) the deities near Gopali village, twelve miles from their capital. The then Gopali village known as Gopalpur situated adjoining to south part of this Naikpada cave. Likewise the village Ratanpur, Baghapali Biribandh (present Birigadh) which are described in Madala Panji are situated near by this Naikpada cave Yajati Nagar the capital city of the Oddradesha ruled by Bhanja dyasty is identified with an area washed by river Mahanadi near modern village Jagati of Boudh District by historians Dr. Satya Narayan Rajguru and Dr. Nabin Kumar Sahu. Lord Nilamadhaba was being worshipped near village jagati since along and also going till today in a stone carved temple constructed during 8th century A.D. now under the protection of Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I.) Another important Nilamadhaba temple of Kantilo, in Nayagarh District was also constructed by the ex-ruler of Boudh State originally known as Oddradesha. According to the Madala Panji and facts at present one can say Lord Sri Jagannath had been buried 144years inside this Naikpada cave.

References

Bibliography

• Bailey, F. G. (1963). Politics and Social Change in Orissa. Berkeley: University of California Press.
• Pasayat, C. (1998), Tribe, Caste and Folkculture, Jaipur/New Delhi: Rawat Publications.
• Pasayat, C. (2003), Glimpses of Tribal and Folkculture, New Delhi: Anmol Pub. Pvt. Ltd.
• Pasayat, C. (2007), Tribe, Caste and Society, New Delhi: Mohit Publications.
• Pasayat, C. (2007), History of Tribal Society and Culture, New Delhi: Zenith Books International.
• Pasayat, C. (2007), Tribal Non-tribal Divide: Myth and Reality, Bhubaneswar.
• Pasayat, C. (2008), Oral Tradition, Society and History, New Delhi: Mohit Publications.
• Pasayat, C. (2008), Paschima Odisara Lokageeta (in Oriya), Bhubaneswar: Folklore Foundation.
• Pasayat, C. and Sudam Naik (2008), Subarnapur Darbari Sahitya (in Oriya), Bhubaneswar: Gyanajuga Publications.
• Parishada, O. S. (1995). Studies in Buddhism. Institute of Orissan Culture.

External links

• Official website